Kashmir Day was first proposed by Qazi Hussain Ahmad of the Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan in 1990.[4] In 1991, the then-Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif called for a "Kashmir Solidarity Day Strike".[5] Sharif had come to power with the help of the Jamaat in the previous year, and the 1991 event was also a Jamaat affair.[7]
In 2021, the New York State Assembly passed a resolution calling on the Governor of New York to recognize the day as Kashmir American Day. According to the resolution, the day is meant to recognize New York's Kashmiri community and to "champion human rights including the freedom of religion".[9][10][11]
In 2022, the Pakistani franchises of international companies such as Hyundai and Kia Motors, Suzuki Motors, Toyota, KFC and Pizza Hut issued advertisements in favour of Kashmiris 'right to freedom'. The Indian franchises of these companies apologised for the partisan nature of the acts and said that their parent company's brand names were used without authorisation.[12][13][14]
See also
Observances in Kashmir, Jammu related to the dispute